Transformers Prime: Broken Records
by Kremzeek
Summary: A Transformers Prime Shattered Glass-type story. The Rebellious Decepticons try to thwart the power-hungry Autobots' rule over Earth. Using TFP as reference but not a bible. Slight references/crossover with previous series. read and review please ;3


**Transformers Prime: Broken Records **

**Disclaimer: For the record, I have not read either Exiles or Exodus, so any information I take into consideration of this 'shattered glass'-type story is gained from WFC, FOC and TFP. Also, I am using the TFP episodes as REFERENCE material but not as a BIBLE. Inevitably, things will proceed quite differently to how they did in the show, even in a different order. It's opposite land~!**

**Hope you all enjoy!**

**Chapter One: Darkness Falls, Part A**

The sun glared down across the bumpy roads of Moab, Utah with a red hot intensity that made Cliffjumper's interior bake. He and Arcee had maintained radio silence for a while now, but he had managed to pick up a short report from one of the human transmissions claiming it to be the hottest day of the year before tuning out completely. He believed it, and it was no easier on them.

Well, that was an understatement to say the least… after all, humans were pathetically weak creatures.

The fiery crimson sedan sped across the desolate pebbled terrain without a care, shooting for the closest Decepticon signal they had picked up. Dirt sprayed out from under his tires, licking his black flame finish, leaving a trail that anyone from up high could follow and he WANTED them to. The Deceptiscum wouldn't know what hit them when this raging bull DOZED them! He could just see that look on Arcee's helm when he claimed the first victim. She was ALWAYS the one to rub it in his grill… but not this time. He was gonna take out a big one… maybe Starscream or even Soundwave! He chuckled to himself as his engine purred with delight at the thought.

As much as he disliked Arcee - for all her antagonizing, instigating, groveling, lewd and all-around manipulative personality - she was actually quite a good one to compete with. Mostly because she was such a sore loser. Every now and then, the two of them would pit wits against each other for a 'hunt'. Whoever killed the most Decepticons won the other's rations of Energon for a disputed time. The loser had the chance of dying! It was hilarious!

His systems picked up a large quantity of Energon in the nearby area. BINGO! He could swipe some Energon even IF Arcee managed to swipe more Decepticon fuses. He revved over an approaching incline that dropped down into a ravine.

WAHOOOO!

Below, the dark blue shapes of the Decepticon drones stirred - startled from their mining excavations. His silhouette passed the sun as he entered his transformation, landing with a loud thud and a cloud of dust. It faded into the wind with a bit of elegance. The drones drew their arms up, ready to blast, as his form burst from the swell - flinging dirt asunder. He slammed his fist into the nearest drone's chest plate, savoring the feeling of cracked metal against his digits. The others immediately started firing toward the sanguine Cybertronian.

He could see it in their movements… they were terrified of him. Their aim was terrible from the quivering of their arms. He easily dodged their attacks, slamming more into the stone structures littered around the area. Their optic lights darted under their visors. He smiled and lunged at one, gutting it's midriff. He pulled his fist out of their comrade… slowly. Energon leaked profusely. The Vehicon sputtered violently. He could feel the others' tension and gaze on his arm - covered with their brothers' life-blood.

His red optics flashed and let them wonder to each one, memorizing their stances. He'd snuff out all of them if he had to. Arcee would be heated!

"You wanna mess with the horns?" He asked them slyly.

This really set them off, and again they started blasting at him simultaneously with renewed purpose. For spark-less drones, they were sure programmed with loyalty in mind. He wasn't worried though. He sprinted through the ranks, again dodging several of their shots with ease and agility. He grabbed the closest one he could and flung him into a driller. It was conveniently close to an energon deposit, causing an explosion that sent many others flying and damaged. Turmoil spread through the ranks as they dashed to and fro trying to get a hit in. They were no match for him! He was unstoppable! He chuckled madly with delight as he bashed the lot and jumped behind another drilling rig, shooting with glee.

Then, suddenly, an enormous shadow cast over the scene and along came a familiar whirring.

The Nemesis…

Reinforcements were fast approaching. He'd become too caught up in the moment.

It's underbelly opened up and several jet drones poured out, coming to the aide of their brethren.

Cliff spotted a downed Vehicon missing a leg… stumbling to stand. He sped over to it, grabbed it by the helm and tossed the injured soldier right at one of the incoming jets, who spun out of control into the next two that were in line behind. The remainder landed with guns blazing… just the way he liked it.

Shots fired from all directions…. Blue beams lighting up his path. He flipped and turned seconds before they could hit him. He felt his energon pumping. It was invigorating. His guns shot more of them than they shot him. His fists pounded their helms, cracking visors and faceplates. One unlucky soldier had the misfortune of actually knocking one of his horns off.

Cliffjumper knocked his head off.

He laughed maniacally as they kept coming, firing at him and continuing their resolve. They just didn't know how to give up.

Suddenly, a whizzing caught his attention. He spun around just quick enough to get grazed by a missile that kept on its trajectory until it hit a cliff-face that was behind him - blasting it to smithereens! He stared back coldly toward the direction it had been fired, zoomed in and adjusting his optics on a familiar bot standing atop an incline… looking smug as ever.

"Wasn't exactly the _cliff _I was aiming for…." The bot snickered.

He was a svelte, pale silver and white seeker with several dings and scratches pitted along his exterior, showing the wear of war upon him. Three specific diagonal scrapes adorned his face - scars from a previous encounter with Cliffjumper and Arcee, who had actually inflicted them. He had accents of blue in his chest plate and helmet, with the cockpit of his alt-mode a vivid yellow that formed into his torso. The blue Decepticon insignia sat in the center of his chest, right above his cockpit. His wings pointed downward and his body was decorated with dark gray "tattoos" in the form of Cybertronian language along his wings, arms and sides of his helm - even with two horizontal stripe-like designs below his large vivid blue optics. Overall the scrap bucket looked pretty formidable - for good reason… he was.

"Starscream….it's been a while. Glad you decided to join the party." Cliff retorted. "it just wouldn't be as fun without having a tussle from you."

A look of annoyance caked Starscream's long, scarred helm for a second, but he brushed it off quickly with a smirk. "Yes, well… I WAS attending to more important matters than a rendezvous with ruffians, but since you so graciously sent out an invite…" His last words laced with disdain, "how can I _refuse_?"

He leapt into the air, transforming as he descended. The fighter jet came barrel rolling toward him at great velocity, but he was ready. He leapt toward Starscream's wing, with the intention of spinning the flyer around using his own speed. Unfortunately, his plan did not pan out as he had expected.

When he made a grab at the wing, Starscream swiftly transformed back into robot mode right under him, forcing Cliffjumper forward, helm-first into the ground. A swift kick from Starscream sent Cliffjumper rolling onto his backside, and Screamer was hovering over him with guns drawn before the Autobot even adjusted his optics.

"Hm…you're right" the flyer mused, "that WAS fun." He shoved the triangular barrel of one of his guns into Cliff's face. A look of complete seriousness came over him. "You and your kind….Ptah! You've rendered this energon unstable now and attacked without mercy. Give me a good reason why I shouldn't blast your servos right now!"

A hint of nervousness came over the red bot, but he just laughed. "I don't have one really… oh, except for the countless times I've provided you with Autobot intel… or is that not enough for you?"

Starscream scowled. "Don't think me a fool, I know you don't harbor any loyalty to me just as much as you do your own faction. The only allegiance you show is for your own aft. That's where we differ, Cliffjumper. I may have indulged you in your secrets, but I do not pretend that it was intended for MY benefit. I know you too well."

Cliff twitched. This tone in Starscream's voice was all business. It was different. It made him anxious.

Cliffjumper had been a double-agent between the Autobots and Decepticons for cycles, always preferring to stay with the winning team of course. He'd had his bouts with the seeker commander several rounds over. The two had become unwillingly knowledgeable of each other….

"Heh, then you know I could be a better help than any of these spark-less drones Starscream. Just look how easily I dispatched them!"

"Sparkless… " The barrels of the guns lit up. "That's what you're about to be too."

A razor-sharp motorcycle of deep fuchsia with pink accents careened across the winding rocky terrain, chuckling to herself as she listened in on Cliff's transmissions through the cyber-bee that Ratchet had secretly implanted on the robot. The two of them had long wanted to get rid of the annoying traitor since the days of Cybertron. The only reason Prime kept him alive and around was because he found it more entertaining to give his adversaries an advantage… only to dash it to pieces when their intel turned out to be less-than-reliable. She liked the way he thought.

She transformed and bounded onto a nearby rock formation. She had to admit, this planet had some pretty stunning landmarks. The sun gleamed over the gorge below, illuminating the multicolored layers of stone. It seemed to stretch for miles. Very far off she could make out the form of the Nemesis. There was no doubt that one of the Decepticons' energon mines had been infiltrated, and her pet was the one stirring up the trouble. She stifled a laugh as she heard her com-link beep.

Cliffjumper rolled right as Starscream fired, throwing the latter to the ground. Starscream could see that he was calling for back-up. "Sorry, your call has ended!" He shot viciously at the red mech.

"Uh, Arcee… I might need back-up on this one."

She heard multiple blasts.

"I'm okay…. Starscream's here. I was thinking of saving him for you… uh, like old times ya know? Heh, yeah. So, you better get your aft over here if you want some fun at least."

So, he had gotten in over his head after all, Arcee thought.

"Oh sure, partner…. I'll send you a _back-up_" She chortled as she swiftly drew out a remote control device. Her spindly finger pressed a green button.

Suddenly, Cliffjumper heard a faint bleeping. The it got louder. And Louder.

Beep beep beeeep…

He stared at his chest plate, where a green light was rapidly flashing. "Wha….what the slag did you do to me, Screamer!" He panicked spinning toward the flyer with his cannons drawn.

Starscream's optics widened and he turned quickly toward his drones. "Get to the ship NOW! There's a bomb in his chest!"

Cliffjumper stared, dumbfounded, at the green light in his chest plate. A bomb! A bomb inside his chest! And his day started out so good too!

Beep beep beeep…

Arcee's voice resounded in his head as she came back on the com-link. "What's wrong, Cliff? I thought you liked having a blast?"

"Arcee? YOU'RE BEHIND THIS? Why… you CHEATER!"

"Sorry, Cliff, sometimes it's more fun to play when you have a winning edge. I managed to flirt that lugnut Ratchet into crafting a special cyber-bee just for you. I wasn't too thrilled about losing last time… so I wanted to make sure it didn't happen again. While the doc repaired the damages you sustained on our last 'date', he slipped the little device right in. He can be quite handy…"

"WHAT!"  
"BYE, Cliff…"

Click.

Cliffjumper's body began to shake uncontrollably with the oncoming reaction and energon leaked from his maw. "No…. NOOOOO!" He shrieked out in pain and surprise.

Beep beep beeeep….

The Vehicons had all but rushed back on the ship or for cover, except for Starscream who seemed to just stand there and watch him suffer.

Cliff's armor began cracking and green light busted from every nook and cranny. The reaction was slow. Too slow. If this was how his spark would be extinguished, then he wished it would just end already.

Beep beep beeeep…

That slaggin' beeping was all he knew at the moment, filling his auditory receptors. He did not even see Starscream rush at him. He barely felt him stab him in the chest. Then, it was over.

Arcee watched from the top of the gorge as the explosion overtook the scenery. It was a beautiful green glow that faded into an enormous mushroom cloud. It alighted with such intensity that she had to shield her optics.

"Winner takes all…" She smirked.

And she raced off back toward the base to claim her prize.

Aboard the Nemesis, the Vehicons held on for their fuse boxes as the ship shook against the detonation. The computer systems went haywire and alarms resounded. A spindly blue and yellow bot with sweeping arms raced toward the main controls on the bridge. His fast digits worked the multiple keys. Flashing images reflected off his dark blue full-facial visor. Then there was a long silence as everything settled.

The Vehicons gathered their bearings as Soundwave checked the monitor for the destruction outside.

The bomb had left a large crater among the arid landscape. He wondered how anyone could have survived that… but he noticed Starscream's signal still appeared online…

Along with another…?

He turned abruptly to the nearest soldiers. "Primus! Screamer's alive! HALLAAAaaaAAaaaa!" His voice came out quite melodic, overlaid with an auto-tuned filter. He quite liked the humans' use of the technology, so he had his own voice box modified with it.

The door hatch opened up and in walked Starscream, lugging a battered Cliffjumper who now had a gaping hole in his chest. He threw him down to the floor and the Autobot groaned. He stared up at the flyer, then back at his chest.

"I… I function… But how?" He gurgled.

Starscream crossed his arms. "A simple matter of speed and accuracy. I'm not seeker commander for nothing - I managed to remove the bomb from you before it exploded…" He flexed his digits, which were still stained with Cliff's energon. "You're just lucky the cyber-bee was a just a little off center from your spark chamber, otherwise you would've been offline anyway." He gestured to nearby drones. "Get him hooked to something. I want him to function long enough for me to question him… AND make sure he's heavily guarded!"

Cliffjumper was too damaged to resist and he was dragged to the infirmary. Starscream quickly turned his attention toward the uppity young Soundwave. "I expect that you've been monitoring their communications, right?"

"Does a human need water to survive?" Soundwave sang. Starscream stared at him. "Uh, the answer to that is a YeeeeAAahahahhhh…."

Starscream let out an exasperated sigh. "By Primus, what have you done to your voice box? You better fix it or I'll rip it right out!"

"Noooooo!" He cried out, with text scrolling across his visor repeating his thoughts… 'Nooooo!1111!'

"I don't want to be mute!"

"I think I'd like it better…" Starscream muttered. "…But, about their communications?"

Soundwave clicked and then replayed the exchange between Cliffjumper and Arcee. Starscream scowled at the sound of her voice. "That one… trace her!"

Soundwave displayed a radar like image upon his visor and a red dot appeared. It was close to the human town.

Starscream turned to leave.

"Screamer, where ya going, bro!?" Soundwave chimed.

"If there's any hope of stopping the Autobots, then picking them off one at a time is our only option. Besides, I've been meaning to settle things with her." He touched his scarred face for a moment.

"But what about Megs?"

"Keep looking? I'm sure he'll be back soon…" Starscream stated as he disappeared on the other side of the door. Soundwave couldn't help thinking there was a tinge of doubt though.

Arcee revved on, and could see the outline of the massive cyber-formed fortress New Iacon far off in the distance. It sat in the middle of the human community; an edifice of terror and a reminder of how the Autobots loomed over them. She remembered back to how they had come to this planet and easily overtaken this country's military. With a truce from the president in an effort to save his people, they were given an area of control and promised militant backup. Moab, Utah was just the beginning. Eventually they would take the whole planet for their own!

Just then her comlink beeped and Ratchet's gruff voice resounded from the other end. "Arcee dear… I have some troubling news for the both of us…"

Arcee immediately braked and shifted to robot mode. "And What would THAT be…?"

"We miscalculated. The traitor still functions. You'll have to pick up your spoils some other time."

"Slag it! How? There's no way he could've survived that blast!"

"Honestly, you don't give the Decepticons enough credit. I can't say this really surprises me… after all Cliff is too valuable for them to allow him to die. But if Prime finds out about this, he'll be… sorely displeased." He sounded very concerned with that last statement.

"Humph, Cliff is the least of our problems. If he did survive, he definitely in no shape to retaliate.. And besides…" she looked toward the town. "I have an easy way of narrowing the playing field…"

She let a mischievous smile cake her lips. "Have Bumblebee and Bulkhead meet me."

A young freckled brunette with blue eyes watched with grief as a tumbleweed bounced across the street outside.

'Another day, another dollar…' Alexis thought sarcasticaly as she leaned out the drive-thru window, waiting for any potential customers at Smash Smoothies. Business had been slow lately - not that Moab, Utah was a very big community… and the Autobot erected structure sure didn't help. But she thought that surely on the hottest day of the year people would be brave enough for ice cream and milk shakes.

Just then she heard the purr of an engine and eagerly stood strait up. "Welcome to Smash Smoothies" she voiced over the speaker "can I take your order?"

"Yeah.." a smooth female voice replied… "I'll take a few dead humans."

Just then, there was a massive explosion and all Alexis could remember was flying out the window of the drive-thru and landing on the hard pavement outside, scraping her arms up. It was just a good thing she left the window open or it could've been a lot worse.

She turned over and stared at what used to be the restaurant, which was now engulfed in flames. 'No… all the people inside… her coworkers!' She shakily reached for her cell in her pocket and started dialing frequently, but there was no signal. Then a shadow loomed over her and from the midst of the flames dancing in the background she saw the figure of a violet-red robot emerging.

"Oh god, no!" She screamed and without a hesitation, took off running.

Arcee smirked. Did that puny human girl really think she could outrun her? She bounded fast in front of the carbon-based life form. "Now now… I can't allow any survivors if I'm going to make an impression."

"Wha… why did you do this? I thought the Autobots would leave the humans alone as long as we didn't do anything!" She cried defiantly.

"Hm… your government makes empty promises…" Arcee replied slyly. "There's nothing you things could do to us anyway…" She upraised a clawed hand, ready to strike this human down.

Alexis' eyes grew wide and she screamed.

Abruptly, Arcee was pitted by laser fire from above and she tucked and rolled behind a non sentient car. Not the best hiding place, as it too went up in an explosion. Alexis sat dumbfounded and scared, quivering uncontrollably. A flying silvery robot landed right in front of her, blasting away at the fembot. He glanced at the fire for a second, frowned and then with a sweep of his leg kicked a nearby fire hydrant. Using his forearm as a pivot point, he managed to shift the water path toward the building. The water sprayed out tumultuously, mixing with the flames - creating a massive smokescreen. Alexis ran from the scene, coughing madly. All of this was happening too fast…!

She turned back toward the smoke and could hear metal clang against metal. Then the two robots burst from the scene, tussling onto the ground. Even though the flyer was bigger, he was still having a hard time with this faster smaller robot. After everything that just happened, Alexis couldn't help but stare at them fighting. Was she really witnessing this…?

Starscream gripped Arcee by the neck, slammed her down and noticed the frail human staring in fear and awe. "What are you doing? Get out of here!" He ordered.

His words snapped Alexis back to reality. Right, she had to get help or something. She sprinted away, still hearing the clashing. It was obvious this one at least was not with the Autobots. She wondered what this whole scenario would spell for the safety of Moab though.

"Is that a friend of yours?" Arcee joshed. "You know how much I love killing them! Remember Shockwave?"

Starscream snarled in rage and raced right at her, claws at the ready. "You'll pay for that remark!"

Arcee easily evaded him and grabbed his arm, twisting it around, setting him to the ground. He grabbed her helm with his free arm and jerked it down against his shoulder. Arcee immediately let go, hacking at her air tubes being obstructed with that move. She gathered her bearings, looked up and was immediately met with his fist against her face. She went soaring backwards and landed on her back.

Starscream hovered over her. Arcee laughed as she spluttered energon. "Good fight, Screamer. I see you've gotten better." Starscream upraised his weapon, ready to shoot. "But you know anytime you fight an Autobot, you should watch your back…"

Something hit Starscream in the back… hard and he went sprawling head over heels. He struggled to gain his composure, but he kept getting bashed with an onslaught of vicious hits… like somehow was hitting him with a wrecking ball. He squinted and saw the backup… Bulkhead.

He was the most vicious fighter of all the Autobots and probably the strongest. A dark green and black bot with eyes that said 'Kill'. He retracted his wrecking ball arm and scoffed. "Really Arcee? You wanted us to meet you for this one? Heh. I'll extinguish his spark myself!"

"Don't be so cocky!" Came her reply. "He's actually pretty good." She then gave him a flirtatious wink.

Starscream clenched his fists and couldn't contain another snarl. "Two against one? A little cowardly, don't you think?"

"oh there's not TWO of us…" She replied.

Suddenly he heard a scream and shifted back around to see the albino Bumblebee holding Alexis tightly in his hand.

Bumblebee's gaze was fixated on him. Those optics… red like the others, but still more frightening. And he didn't make a sound. He never spoke, ever. Starscream remembered what he had said to Soundwave earlier and promised to apologize later…. If he made it out of this alive. What was he thinking… of course these cowards would tag-team him like this.

"Tell me, Arcee… did you attack this town just to get my attention?"

"Well of course, Screams" She batted her opticlids at him. "I know Cliffjumper's not dead… I don't know how you saved him. I don't care. But I want some bot to die today…. And you will not even put up a fight." She nodded at Bumblebee who started squeezing the human. Alexis screamed in pain.

"No, stop! Haven't you hurt enough of them?" He swung his arm toward the burnt building. The few people that still lived in Moab were starting to peak out from nearby houses and cars. "Let the girl go and I'll…let you do whatever you want with me. I'll go with you freely."

Alexis stared. He was different.

Arcee giggled. "Very noble…" She strutted to him, placing her gun right at his face. She motioned to Bumblebee who, after slight hesitation, flung the human girl forward high into the air. Alexis shrieked out.

"No!" Starscream cried out. "Slag you!" He barely moved in time to miss Arcee's blast, still grazing the side of his helm. He jabbed his claws across her side, seeping energon from the wound, transformed into his jet mode and hastily sped off into the sky. Bulkhead and Bumblebee shot wildly at him. Arcee heaved herself up, badly damaged. "Extinguish his spark! I want him dead!"

Starscream could feel several new dings but ignored the pain as he grabbed the girl out of the air.

He landed in a drainage canal with Bulkhead and Bumblebee fast on his tail. "I'll hold them off, you get to safety… if you can find some." Then he happened to see a small figure close to the wall, clutching some remote device with a small plane flying around in circles. The kid dropped his toy.

"Woaah." Carlos smiled.

"Oh great…" Starscream moaned. "BOTH of you get out of here!"

Alexis clutched Carlos' arm and jerked him into the drainage canal. "Thank you…" She murmured.

Starscream stood at the ready. If this was how it was going to go down, then so be it.

Bulkhead stomped his feet in anticipation, as if he was one of those human sumo wrestlers. Bumblebee just seemed to glide over to their position. Before they could attack however, a storm of laser fire rained down on them. Starscream looked up to see a squad of five silver seekers swooping in. They landed in front of their wounded boss.

"Commander Starscream," One chipped, "Soundwave informed us that you may need help."

That Soundwave… now he really did owe him an apology.

Bulkhead and Bumblebee both looked at each other. "Man, I'm not in the mood for this…" came Bulkhead's defiant reply. They were set to charge when their com-links simultaneously beeped and what should come over it but their leader's voice.

"All Autobots report back to base… immediately…" came the deep frightening voice from the other side.

Their optics widened. "Right away, Lord Prime!" Before the seekers could retaliate, the two had transformed and retreated.

"Sir! We can easily chase them" one of them suggested.

"No." Starscream slumped to the ground. He was worn down. "We already know where they're going."

Back aboard the Nemesis, Soundwave hummed with delight as he opened a space bridge. Starscream would be ecstatic to hear the good news he came across after such a rough day.

The space bridge opened with an aqua hue and out sprang a gray Cybertronian jet with vivid blue accents. Transforming, Megatron gazed at the planet that lay ahead of him. "I have returned…" he quietly stated, more to himself than anyone. But what had he returned to, he wondered.


End file.
